Urban and Regional Planning

O.S.S.D. with six Grade 12 U/M courses including Grade 12 U English.

Notes:

1. ENG4U/EAE4U is the preferred English.
2. The grade required in the subject prerequisite (normally in the 70 percent range) will be determined subject to competition.
3. Students are encouraged to include Grade 12 U or M courses in the Social Sciences and the Humanities (HFA4M, HHS4M, HHG4M, HSB4M, HZT4U) and/or Economics (CIA4U) and U courses in Canadian and World Studies (CGW4U, CGU4U, CHI4U, CHY4U, CLN4U, CPW4U), Science (SBI4U, SCH4U, SPH4U, SES4U) and/or Mathematics (MHF4U, MCV4U, MDM4U) in their secondary school studies.
4. Applicants will be invited to participate in optional in-person and virtual information sessions.
5. Subject to competition, candidates may be required to present averages/grades above the minimum.

The Urban and Regional Planning (BURPI) degree program is accredited by the Professional Standards Board, and recognized by the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Ontario Professional Planners Institute.

Two Year Post-Baccalaureate Degree Program

The School offers a two-year post-baccalaureate program leading to a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning (BURPl). Admission requirements include completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited English language university including a minimum of six liberal studies (liberal arts and sciences) courses. Students interested in pursuing this option should consider including courses in: microeconomics, ecology, sociology, geography, environmental sciences, and politics in their first degree program.

Two Year Degree Completion Program

The School also offers a degree completion program leading to a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning (BURPl) degree. Admission requirements include completion of the Urban and Regional Planning Technician-Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Diploma from Mohawk College or the GIS and Urban Planning Diploma from Fanshawe College with a minimum cumulative average of 'B'.

Additional Requirements for Both Two Year Programs

Qualified applicants must successfully complete a 75 hour, three week Spring/Summer intensive block course (CVUP 100: Foundations for Planning) which is offered virtually through The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, in the month of August. Students must successfully complete CVUP 100 before their entry into the program in fall.

The program is designed to prepare students with substantive knowledge about cities and regions and with critical thinking and problem-solving skills for career flexibility and lifelong learning. Our graduates become leaders who contribute to the community and the profession. The School is actively engaged in advancing anti-racism and anti-discrimination work in planning education, including centering equity and racial justice in our undergraduate curriculum.

The program curriculum features a strong grounding in the land-based planning process as applied in cities and regions. It includes: identifying problems and successes, analyzing them, finding alternatives, estimating the feasibility of other approaches, and involving people and communities who are affected by specific urban or regional problems and the associated decision-making. Instruction is given in team work and clear communication. Students learn about interdisciplinary approaches to decision making and explore avenues for collaboration with other professions and disciplines that are closely related to planning, such as architecture, landscape architecture, politics, economics, sociology, community development, geography, civil engineering, and business. Students also learn how planning is done in other cities and regions through two field trips built into the program and through opportunities for study abroad at several universities in Europe, Australia, and China. Planning experience is gained through project-based studios and through field placements in planning and organizations and community agencies.

Students in the program will be able to develop expertise in a variety of sub-areas within Urban and Regional Planning through elective courses, including an option to complete a specialization in one or more of the following areas: 1) Housing and Land Development, 2) Transportation Planning, 3) Environmental and Ecological Design, and 4) Urban Design.

A planning education leads to varied employment. Some examples:

• Municipal Land-use Planner - reviewing applications for development or redevelopment, advising proponents, staff, and citizen groups;
• Environmental/Ecological Planner - promoting environmental protection through planning and design at the site or landscape scale;
• Site Planner - developing urban design concepts and ideas in 3-dimensional forms and executing the graphic representation of these forms;
• Development Planner - co-ordinating subdivision approvals, development permits, building inspections; working in real estate development or planning consulting firms;
• Community Planner - working with community groups to enhance their participation in development;
• Planning Analyst - initiating and integrating a wide variety of studies: Statistical, fiscal, and land use analyses; transportation studies; servicing and environmental information; demographic, housing, and commercial/industrial projection studies;
• International Development Planner - helping agencies in developing countries to produce plans and policies;
• Other positions include housing market analyst, commercial property assessor, transportation planner, real estate analyst, economic development planner, policy planner, sustainability coordinator, and more.

Students from our program frequently go on to postgraduate degrees in public administration, business, law, architecture, social work, education, and of course, in urban and regional planning.

Students may apply to challenge some courses providing informal educational opportunities and/or current work experience have allowed the student to develop advanced skill and knowledge in the relevant course areas. The student must be enrolled in the program. Further details regarding challenge credits are found under the Registrar's Office chapter of this calendar.

Students must take three lower level liberal studies courses and three upper level liberal studies courses to graduate. Students must not choose courses that are restricted for their program or major.

Degree Completion Program Students must take two lower level liberal studies courses and three upper level liberal studies courses to graduate. Students must not choose courses that are restricted for their program or major.

Please refer to the liberal studies chapter of this calendar for more information on the Liberal Studies Policy. Further information on liberal studies can also be found at the Faculty of Arts' Liberal Studies website (opens in new window) .

Table A - Lower Level Restrictions

Table B - Upper Level Restrictions

Students may pursue any Minor offered by Toronto Met (with some exceptions). Please refer to the Minors chapter of this calendar for further information on individual Minor requirements and exclusions.

Undergraduate students wishing to pursue a continuing education certificate program should be aware of possible program exclusions. Please refer to the Certificate Registration section of the Curriculum Advising website (opens in new window)  for complete details.

Revised curriculum begins 2024-2025 for students admitted Fall 2024 and after. 

Students are required to successfully complete CVUP 100 through G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education (opens in new window)  before 1st Semester.

Students are required to successfully complete CVUP 100 through G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education (opens in new window)  before 1st Semester.

A Program Advisory Council (PAC) is a group of volunteers that provides expert advice to a school or department on program related matters such as curriculum, program review, technology and trends in the industry, discipline or profession. For more information, see Senate Policy #158 (Program Advisory Councils).

Paul Bedford
Urban Mentor
Former Chief Planner
City of Toronto

Audrey Bennett
Director
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Provincial Planning And Environmental Services Branch

Jennifer Keesmaat
Chief Planner
City of Toronto

Glenn Miller
Director, Education and Research
Canadian Urban Institute

Mohammad Qadeer
Professor Emeritus
Former Director
School of Urban and Regional Planning
Queen's University

David Stonehouse
Director of Site Development
The Brickworks
Evergreen Foundation

Mark Tutten
Senior Vice President of Land Development
Tribute Communities